What reportedly happened: The flight was the pilot’s first flight in the airplane make/model. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power.

The plane hit the ground hard in a flat attitude. It bounced, the landing gear collapsed, and the plane nosed over.

The pilot later discovered that the fuel valve, which was difficult to see due to its position underneath and forward of the instrument panel, was in the “OFF” position.

Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s failure to open the fuel valve, resulting a loss of engine power after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the airplane make/model.